1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a stool and, in particular, to a table stool assembly adapted to be replaceable by parts of the assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide tables having a plurality of stools that are adapted to accommodate a number of people. Tables of this type are often employed in assembly areas, such as cafeterias like those commonly found in many institutionalized settings. These tables may be rollingly movable along a floor, stand alone or be connected to one another, be foldable, and/or simply be supported upon the floor. Alternatively, they may even fold out from any of the walls of the room to be supported upon the floor.
More specifically, tables of this type are typically designed to include a plurality of stools disposed about the perimeter of the table. In this regard, the table may include a metal framework that supports a tabletop as well as a plurality of stools. The framework acts to connect adjacent and/or opposed stools about the perimeter of the tabletop. The framework also includes a plurality of legs for supporting corresponding stools and the tabletop above the floor. Furthermore, each stool-supporting leg generally includes a hollow or solid tubing to which the seating portion of the stool is supported and that can form a part of the stool. The tubing often has a 1″ or 1¼″ diameter, and at least a portion of the tubing extends perpendicular to the floor and tabletop. The end of each leg operatively contacting the floor may include a cap, foot, or glide or even a caster for rollingly moving the table.
One type of table-stool seating portion commonly employed in the related art is an integral, one-piece unit that includes an upper seat portion that supports a person sitting on the stool and a lower seat-support structure. In turn, the seat-support structure is supported upon the tubing that forms a portion of the metal framework. The seat-support structure is designed to support the weight of any person using the seat portion. Accordingly, the seat-support structure often makes up a majority of the mass and volume of the stool seating portion as well as the cost for materials used to manufacture the stool seating portion. Stool seating portions of this type can be manufactured from plastic and are commonly supplied in a variety of colors.
However, it is not uncommon for a stool seating portion to wear out over time after repeated use. For example, sometimes the seat portion eventually fails in some manner, such as by cracking, deforming, fading, or otherwise deteriorating. On the other hand, sometimes the seat-support structure eventually fails in some manner, such as by cracking, deforming, snapping, or otherwise deteriorating. Sometimes both the seat portion and seat-support structure eventually fail. In any event, whenever replacement of the seat-support structure for tubing accommodation is necessary, the integral, one-piece stool seating portion is detached from the tubing, and a new integral, one-piece stool seating portion having the appropriate color is mounted to the tubing. Whether it is the seat portion, the seat-support structure, or both that fail(s), the entire stool seating portion must be replaced. Furthermore, because the tubing used in these applications has at least two sizes, two different sizes of a replacement seat-support structure must be manufactured to accommodate the diameter of the tubing.
In this regard, when the stool seating portion is made of plastic having a particular color, it is often desirable to match the new stool-seating-portion color with the color of the existing stool seating portions used on any given table. This means that manufacturers and wholesalers of this type of stool seating portion must maintain an inventory of the stool seating portions in each color. In turn, this raises the cost of doing business for both the manufacturers and wholesalers. Also, because the bulk of the mass and volume of the stool seating portion is in the seat-support structure, the cost of replacing a stool seating portion having a particular color when only the seat portion needs replacing is inefficient. In an institutionalized setting, this can be especially labor- and material-intensive and, thus, expensive, which is especially relatively inefficient.
Another type of table-stool seating system commonly employed in the related art is a two-piece unit. More specifically, the stool seating system generally includes an upper seat portion that supports a person sitting on the stool. The stool further includes a square plate removably attachable to the bottom surface of the upper seat portion using a special array of fasteners.
However, this type of table-stool seating portion suffers from the disadvantage that the seat portion can be replaced only by a seat portion including a bottom surface having holes adapted to accept the special array of fasteners used to mount it to the plate. This type of table-stool seating portion also suffers from the disadvantage that it is not compatible with the integral, one-piece stool seating portion as described above. As such, a mismatch of one-piece and two-piece stool seating portions for a particular table can result. Such a mismatch can be aesthetically displeasing.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for an aftermarket replacement table-stool seating portion. More specifically, there is a need in the related art for a relatively less labor- and material-intensive and, thus, less expensive way of replacing a stool seating portion supported by tubing of a table such that replacement of any part of the stool seating portion does not necessarily require replacement of the entire stool seating portion.